To My Dear Sister In Christ: Anna Beth

I just wanted to tell you that when you leave tomorrow you will always be in my heart and prayers.  I'm really going to miss spending time with you in the afternoons, at the pool, sleepovers, baking cookies, watching "You Tube" videos together, our Sonic visits to get "Sparkling Strawberry Lemonades", fun movie nights, singing Michael Bublé in the car, crazy sewing adventures, and all the other fun times we have together.  I'll miss you so very much this year, but just remember that "you'll be in my heart...yes, you'll be in my heart...from this day on ...now and forever more!"

I don't even know... :-)

"True friends are those who are there for you unconditionally. Never do they question, but always offer support no matter what the circumstances are. Best Friends are the people worth living for." ~Author Unknown

Homeschool Historical Ball (Fall 2008)

Homschool Historical Ball (Spring 2010)

"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts." ~Author Unknown

I love this picture!  (Katie and Anna)

Awwww... :-)

We love you, Anna and feel very honored to call you one of our "best friends"!! I have a lot of best friends, but "best friends" does sounds better then just "friends".  Anyone that might be reading this post (that is one of my friends) please remember that I love you too.  Friends are a gift from God and I'm so thankful for all of my wonderful friends that are in my life.  Thank you all for being there! :-)

''Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.'' - Proverbs 3:5-7

Love Your Friend and Sister In Christ,
 

Tagging Fun!

My lovely blogging friend, Eden tagged me on her blog the other day and I've decided to join in on the fun. Get ready to read a long, but fun post. I hope you enjoy! :)

1. High heels or boots? Oh, that’s a hard one! I like both types of shoes. I love shopping for (and wearing) cute shoes for accessories.

2. What time did you get up this morning? This morning I woke up around 7:45am. We went to bed much later then we normally do, so we all slept in. :)

3. What was the last movie you saw at the theater? We don’t really go to movie theaters because it's so expense, but the last movie I watched at one was Toy Story 3 with my Dad and Andrew. We normally just go out and rent a $1.00 movie from a Redbox or a rental store and then watch it together in the comfort of our home. :)

4. What is your maiden name? Well, since I'm not married I still have my maiden name. Let's play a guessing game, okay? My last name starts with an N, has seven letters, and ends with an S.  Have any ideas? Now, you get to hold that thought and keep it to yourself. :-)

5. What is your favorite TV show? My family and I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but we do like to watch Chuck, 19 Kids and Counting, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Sue Thomas F.B.I. and the Andy Griffith Show sometimes.

6. What do you usually have for breakfast? We usually have homemade muffins, oatmeal, cheese grits, omelets, cereal, or yogurt, granola, and fruit. :-)

7. What is your middle name? Nicole.

8. What food do you dislike? I absolutely do not like spinach and tofu.

9. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I don’t usually buy many CD’s because I buy my favorite songs on ITunes, but right now one of my favorite songs would be “Tennessee” (Pearl Harbor Theme Song by Hans Zimmer), and I also really like “In Better Hands” by Natalie Grant.

10. What characteristic do you despise? Dishonesty, lying, and rebellion.

11. Favorite clothing? I love wearing cute skirts and tops! See my last Feelin Feminine (7 Days in a Skirt Challenge) :-)

12. Anywhere in the world on vacation? I would like to visit Ireland, England, and Alaska someday. That would be so much fun!

13. Are you an organized person? Most of the time, I try to keep my stuff organized and tidy but I usually find it easier said than done. :-)

14. Where would you retire to? I guess I would move close to my family?  I'm not sure right now, but I don't really need to think about that at the moment since I'm only 16. :-)

15. What was your most recent memorable birthday? I would say my 13th or my 16th birthday, but I always love birthdays and I can’t complain about any that I’ve had.

16. What are you going to do when you finish this?  Probably go see what my family is doing and then go read a chapter in "Homemaking". I'm really enjoying that book! :-)

17. Furthest place you have ever been to? I think it would be West Virginia, but it might be Pennsylvania.

18. Person you wish you could meet? Hmm…I would love to meet all the girls that follow my blog and that I've met since I started blogging. They're just so sweet and I've really been encouraged by all of them. Thank you for following me! It really means a lot. :-)

19. When is your birthday? My birthday is May 20th... :-)

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? I guess you could say that I'm a little of both, but I get more accomplished in the morning.

21. What is your shoe size? I usually wear a size 7 or a 7 & 1/2.

22. Do you own any animals? No, not at the moment. We used to have a gray and white cat, but we had to give her away a couple of months ago. Let's just say we found her in a few of our kitchen cabinets of few times and she would sit in the front window outside our living room and meow in this demanding meow until we let her inside. She did a lot more then that and you kind of needed to see it to believe it, but she was just getting out of hand. :-)

23. Any news you'd like to share? I was able to work on some sewing projects yesterday and I'm getting a little closer to listing some more items on Etsy. That's news, right? :-)

24. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Ummm…I think I wanted to be a teacher for a few years, then a singer, and then a few years after that I wanted to be a homeschool mom.

25. What is your favorite flower? I think my favorite flowers would have to be daisies and roses.  I love all different flowers, though.  They’re just so beautiful and they smell very nice too!

26. What would you currently like to be when you grow up? A photographer!

{For some reason, question #27 is missing…not sure why}

28. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Definitely a shade of pink! :-)

29. How is the weather right now? It’s dark outside and very clear...

30. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My last phone conversation was with my Grandma.  She just called to see how we were doing.

31. Favorite drink? Southern Sweet Tea and Water. :-)

32. Favorite restaurant? Chili's and a Chinese restaurant in our town.

33. Hair color? Dark Brown

34. What was your favorite toy as a child? Polly Pockets, Barbies, and American Girl Dolls!  I was definitely a "girly girl" when I was little.  It actually hasn't really changed because I'm still scared of little bugs and such.  Ahem.  :-)

35. Spring, summer, fall, or winter? I like the fall and spring.  I like all the seasons, but those are my favorite because the weather is so nice.

36. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate!

37. Coffee or tea? I like both, but I really like some warm tea on cold days in the winter.

38. Wish you were still young? No, I’m still young! (Only 16, remember?!)

39. Do you want to get married? Yes!!!

40. When was the last time you cried? The last time I cried was a couple of days ago when I realized that one of my best friends (Anna) was leaving on Wednesday.  It's going to be such a sad day because I won't see her until Christmas...

41. What is under your bed? Lots of boxes with miscellaneous things...

42. What did you do last night? I helped mom with some little projects she needed done before the week started.  I also folded the last load of clothes with Andrew and my dad.  Then, before I went to bed...I read some chapters in my book. :-)

43. What are you afraid of? I think one of my biggest fears would tornadoes, and really bad storms.

44. Salty or sweet? I like both kinds.  It just depends on what I'm eating, I guess.

45. Describe yourself in 10 words...I’m usually a cheerful, loving, friendly girl that loves God!

46. How many years at your current job? I don’t really have "a job", but I do babysit for some people sometimes. :-)

47. Favorite day of the week? I really like Friday!

48. Favorite movie?  Sense and Sensibility (the BBC version).

49. Have you ever had a crush on anyone? No, and I don't plan on having one either!

50. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? Definitely! :-)

What did you think of my answers? That was a lot of questions to answer, but it was a lot of fun.  I'm going to tag Sarah-Anne, Moriah, Lindsay, Sereina, and Livvy.   I can’t wait to see all of your answers!

In Christ,

Pure White Roses

There are many young ladies who feel that because they have already make some mistakes in their life, purity is out of the question for them.  Therefore, it's really important for all of us to understand the two different kinds of purity. 

{Image courtesy of Google}

First, there is the pure white kind, otherwise known as the innocent type.  Just think about a new white table cloth that has never had any gravy spills or stains on it before- it's completely pure.

There is also a second kind of purity- another table cloth had a little grape soda spill on it, but it has been put through the washer and came out back to normal again.  It was dirty, but it's now it's clean (pure) again and you would never know that it had some purple spots on it before...unless someone told you of course. :)

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." ~~Psalms 51:10

God sent His son, Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and when He did, He washed away any of our sins (or grape soda spills).  When you want to start over and you want to be pure again, God will wash away your sins with a simple prayer.  Ask the Lord to become your Savior and ask His forgiveness for any sins or things you've done in your life that you don't like about yourself. 

You can start with a pure heart and when you do, then you can make a commitment to God...

"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'' ~Matthew 22:37

...yourself,

"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." ~Matthew 22:39

...your family,

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." ~Philippians 4:5

...your friends,

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." ~John 15:13

...your future mate, and your future children with a lifetime of purity until the day you enter a biblical marriage relationship.

"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." ~2 Timothy 2:22

What a wonderful blessing that would be!  Wouldn't you love to be able to walk down the isle on your wedding day, look into your Prince Charming's eyes and have a pure heart for him?  That would be such a beautiful love story and testimony for you both to share with others! 

{Image courtesy of Google}

I believe that our hearts are precious in the eyes of our Father, and that the love story He is preparing for us is far sweeter and more wonderful than anything we have planned for ourselves. While relying on His grace alone, we are committed to remaining physically and emotionally pure as we wait for the right person and the right time.  "True Love Waits" will happen for most of us, but we just have to wait patiently for that special someone to come into the scene. 

"Some day my prince will come ...some day when my dreams come true!" ~Snow White

I hope that I've been of some encouragement to you and that what I wrote wasn't confusing.  These are just thoughts that I have and things that I plan to do as I wait.  Let's be pure white roses (young woman after God's own heart), stand before Him, and know that our hearts are clean.  Let's also let Him be our Prince until He makes a way for our future husbands.  Are you with me?  What are your thoughts on this subject? :)


Waiting patiently,

Fix-It Friday ~Week #68

Yay! I'm finally getting to post a Fix it Friday on the same week it's supposed to be done.  I'm pretty pleased with my edits, although I have no idea what in the world I did to make them look like this.  I did use Picasa 3 as my editing program.  I would love to own Photoshop, but I haven't bought it yet.

This week's edit (original photo):

My edit #1:

 My edit #2:

 My edit #3:

There are some other great edits on the "I Heart Faces" website, so jump on over there and check them all out. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

An Update on Mom...

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to post about my mom in so long.  It's been a very stressful last couple of months and I'm just now able to type out an update.  I do want to acknowledge all the people that have been praying for us and I want to thank you all for prayers and encouragement for our family!  It means so much to us for all the support that our friends and family have given us through this journey.  We couldn't do this without you. 


In July, mom broke her arm and has been having some physical therapy for it.  Her arm is doing better, but right now she can't drive. We have many friends and family that have helped us these past weeks with meals and taking mom to the doctor (if my dad or Katie couldn't do it.) 


We thought that was bad enough, but about a week after she broke her arm, she and my dad went up to Duke and met with an oncologist.  He said that the oral chemo drug that she has been taking (Tarceva) is still working but not like it used to.  Sometimes those drugs build up a resistance towards the cancer.  They are working to create another drug that can be used in situations like this, but it's not ready yet.   The doctor suggested an MRI for the next week to see if there was any active cancer in her arm or back.  Mom had an MRI and they found a slight growth in the cancer.  She is going to start having some radiation for three weeks.  After that she will begin a normal chemo treatment one week, then wait three weeks, do another, for about 4-6 times.  

The surgical oncologist was pleased with the healing in her arm due to the progress with the physical therapy and the oncologist doesn't recommend surgery at this point, which is good.  She'll leave the decision about radiating it up to the radiation oncologist.  

Last week, mom changed her "main doctor" because he wasn't giving her enough help and he didn't have to time to research different ways to help her.  He also treated patients for all the different cancers and not just lung cancer.  The new doctor treats lung cancer and has more experience.  My dad and mom are very impressed with this doctor's demeanor and his concern for his patients.

This week mom had a bronchocopy on Monday (to get tissue to evaluate), she had a PET scan on Wednesday (to see if it showed any new lesions anywhere from her neck to her knees).   The results of the scan will give the radiation doctor info on places she has pain so that he can radiate places to alleviate some of her pain.  She is at the new doctor right now to discuss all of the findings to give him an idea of where to go with her treatment.   She has another MRI on August 30th to see if it shows anything else they may need to know.   After that she hopes to be done with scans, etc. for a little while. 

Thank you again for your prayers for the continuing journey.  Please pray for strength and rest at night for our family and for good results at the appointment today.  We are all super tired and we just need some good news to help us to move on.  Also, thank you for letting me be able to write down all of my thoughts.  

Trusting in Him,

Lovely Photo Wednesday

Can I just tell you all again that I love my Canon Rebel?  Because I really do and I've learned (and I'm still learning) more and more about photography since I got my Canon. I'm so thankful to hold that camera in my hands because I really shouldn't have it right now. It was a HUGE blessing to finally get it and I'm still in awe that I own such a possession. It was an answer to prayer and I'm so enjoying taking pictures with it, even if I haven't posted many pictures since I got it. I'm going to try to post more, but life as been very crazy around here for the past few months. Anyway, I'll leave you with a self portrait of me and my camera. *smiles* :)

I'm off to finish some sewing projects and I also hope to finish another post for tomorrow.  Also, please check out Hannah's new Lovely Photo Wednesday post.  I love the idea and I can't wait to see what everyone else posts about on the link-up! Thanks, Hannah!  I'll talk to you all later! :-)

Many Blessings,

A Godly Woman...

I saw this posted on a few other blogs recently, and thought I would post it for those of you who haven't read it.  I also wrote down some of my thoughts about the subjects.

A Godly Woman ...

…is glad she’s a woman and rejoices in her femininity, expressing it through her attitude, appearance and bearing. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

Ladies, we are SO very blessed to have been put on this earth as woman.  It's not something to take for granted because it's such a huge blessing!  Please don't ever wish you were someone other than yourself because God has such a wonderful plan for your life as one of His children, a woman after His own heart!  Being a woman is definitely something to rejoice in, don't you agree?

…does not compete for equality with men or chafe at God’s design for male and female, but delights in and understands the importance of her calling to complement man’s role. (1 Timothy 2:11-12, Ephesians 5:22-24)

A woman who truly rejoices in being a woman will not try to look like or do things that a man does.  She will rejoice in the way God has made her, and also choose to be a feminine and graceful lady.

…values the cultivation of her mind and diligently seeks after wisdom and knowledge. (Proverbs 22:17-21, 2:2-6)

A Worldly Woman will seek after her earthly pleasures, wealth and outward beauty.  While a Godly woman will search for wisdom in the Bible, and with the Wisdom of God in her heart, she will gain heavenly treasures and inward beauty.  I know we all are guilty to some degree in this area.  I've been trying to break my "summer"  habit of getting on the computer at all hours of the day.  It can be very addicting sometimes and that's one of the reasons that I'm glad we've started back to school.  I don't have as much time to get on the computer, reply to emails, check Facebook, and write more posts, but it's nice to have less time on the computer so that I don't waste the day and I can also fill my day with more productive things.  I now fill my day with schoolwork, reading, helping around the house, laundry, cooking, sewing, taking pictures, etc.  It's just another season in my life, but I'm trying to make my days more productive and filled with Godly things.  :-)

…realizes her imperative need to allow the Holy Spirit to control her emotions and expressions of them. (James 1:19-20)

A Godly woman will be Set Apart for God, to do what He wills in her life.  She will submit to His wonderful plan and story for her, and will rejoice at the works in her life!

…does not wallow in self-pity or make a habit of voicing complaints, but radiates cheerfulness and joy. (Proverbs 15:15, Proverbs 17:22)

She will live her life for others, pray for other people in her life, and think of ways to help people instead of sitting around the house thinking of nothing but herself and her own troubles.

…appreciates her father’s protection, and respects and submits to his authority. In so doing, she is preparing herself to exercise the Biblical role in her relationship with a possible future husband. (Ephesians 5:33-6:3, 1 Peter 3:1-2)

She will not just appreciate her father's protection, but she will rejoice in it.  She will be glad for such a loving and caring parent that will help her protect her heart that could so easily be stolen from someone other than her true Prince Charming.

…is trustworthy and gains the respect of those around her. (Proverbs 31:11)

A Godly woman is not deceitful or sneaky.  She should be trustworthy and kind-hearted.

…restrains herself from listening to, or participating in gossip, but instead speaks with wisdom and discretion. (Proverbs 11:12-13, 22, 20:19, 3:11)

Listens to wholesome talk, and doesn't chase after the lies of this world, but holds onto the Truth and in the promises of the next! {heaven}

…encourages and builds up those around her instead of criticizing and tearing them down. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:29)

She will build up those around here and won't tear others down.

…does not have a nagging, contentious or manipulative manner in which she deals with others. (Judges 16:16, Proverbs 21:9, 19, 26:21)

She is be kind, gracious, and considerate of others around her.

…is not boisterous or loud in her speech or actions but is characterized by a gentle and quiet spirit. (Proverbs 9:13, 1 Peter 3:4)

She tells people what she thinks in a gentle, but bold way.

...portrays chastity, modesty and reverence in her manner, and wears the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is her true beauty. (1 Peter 3:3-4, Titus 2:4-5)

She is modest in her dress, acts, and speech.  She does not wear the latest revealing fashions, but wears what reflects her Christianity, and her Pure Heart.

…is not offended by respect shown her through gentlemanly courtesies (opening doors, etc.) but cultivates the differences between the genders that make her worthy of this deference. (1 Peter 3:7, Mark 10:6)Is gracious, and not flounty. Treats young men as Brothers in Christ, and does not chase after unhealthy relationships.

…seeks to make God her number one desire and the Lover of her soul, knowing that only He can fully satisfy. (Psalm 73:25, Psalm 63:1)

She lives everyday for her Lord in everything she does, and does not do things for her glory, but for His only.

…uses her years of singleness to seek and serve God without distraction, and is content to leave the details of her future to Him. (Psalm 73:25, Philippians 4:11)

She will not wast away her single years just waiting for her Prince Charming to come riding into her life, but uses these years to fall in love with Christ, to get to know Him better by immersing herself in His word.

…does not relate to members of the opposite gender in a flirtatious or forward manner, but instead saves all herself for her future husband. (Thessalonians 4:3-8, Proverbs 6:25, 1 Corinthians 7:1)

A Godly young woman stays pure in heart.  The Worldly woman is selfish, and thinks about the enjoyment she is having now; a temporary commitment.  A Godly woman is selfless, thinks about serving others, and focuses on her relationship with Christ. She treats men as Brothers in Christ and she waits patiently for a permanent commitment with her Prince Charming someday.

In Christ,

A Wonderful Giveaway!

An Old-Fashioned Girl is one of my very favorite blogs to read and right now Johanna is hosting a giveaway to celebrate her 200th blog post!  I'm so excited!  :)

She’s giving away several wonderful prizes...

An adorable night-light from Roses and Teacups.

 A Summer Shade jumper pattern from Marie Madeline Studio with your choice of fabric to make it.

 Some beautiful earrings from The Joy of Jewelry.

An  e-pattern of your choice from Sense and Sensibility. 

As you can see this is a wonderful giveaway!  Hurry over to Johanna’s blog to see if you can win one of these beautiful items!  This Giveaway is closed on August 28, at 12:00 a.m (midnight)


Have a wonderful day serving our Savior! :)

A Summer Photo Shoot

A few weeks ago, our (very talented) friend Lindsay, Katie, and I had a photo shoot together.  Lindsay has wanted to take our pictures all summer and it finally worked out in all of our schedules.  She took some casual pictures and then she also took some of us in our historical dresses.

After we got ready, found some props, and loaded up the car, we went into our little town and behind Lindsay's dance studio to look for places to take pictures.  We ended up finding some really great places and we all had a very fun afternoon together.  Anyway, I posted about it on my Facebook, but since everyone doesn't have a Facebook, I decided to post about it on here for everyone else to look at.

We've known Lindsay for years because our parents were friends before we were even born.  She is one of our oldest and dearest friends and is so very talented with the gift of photography.  I hope that one day I might be as good as she is, but I guess we will have to wait and see... 

Visit her blog to see all of the pictures that she took of us.  Also, you could always leave her a little comment saying how much you liked them.  That decision is entirely up to you, but I'm sure she would love to hear from you.  :)

~Part 1

and

~Part 2

I'm off to go get some things accomplished for the day (helping with some laundry, some sewing projects, etc.).  This afternoon we're going to a family get together on my dad's side of the family.  I'm really excited about it because I get to see my cousin, Caroline!  We haven't seen each other since we went to the beach, so it should be loads of fun hearing all about her summer adventures.  Anyway, it should be a fun filled day with lots of family, food, and swimming in the pool.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

In Him,

Fruit and Cream Cheese (Cookie) Pizza

Let's start by listing some different adjectives, shall we? :)

Delicious, tempting, yummy, delightful, irresistible, appetizing, luscious, wonderful, tasty, sweet...


I think you probably understand how this sweet pizza really tastes like, right? Haha!  :)

So....

Would you like the recipe?  Yes, I know what you're probably thinking right now..."What a preposterous question after tempting us so much!"...  Well, wait no longer because here it is! :)

Fruit and Cream Cheese Pizza Recipe
From: My Aunt Debbie

• 2 rolls of sugar cookie dough
• 1  pkg. cream cheese (8oz.) - softened
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• Various fruit for the topping: peaches, bananas, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, grape halves, or whatever other fruit you think would be good.  :)

Directions: Preheat oven to temp indicated on the cookie dough.  Using a rolling pin, or your hands, spread the dough on a greased pizza pan.  Bake the dough until the edges are golden brown.  

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and beat at low speed until smooth.  After the cookie has cooled,  spread the cream cheese mixture and arrange fruit in circles working from the outside edge toward the center.  Refrigerate and cut into wedges to serve. 

Enjoy your new treat ladies and be sure to get double the ingredients at the store because I'm sure that you will want to make it again after it's all gone. :)

School is Back in Session!

Summer has ended at our house and school started back today for Andrew and I.  Andrew is in 8th grade now and I'm now in 11th.  It feels really weird to be almost finished with school.  I know I have two more years ahead of me, but it's still very weird to see the 11 on my notebooks this year.  I have so enjoyed homeschooling and now more than ever since I went to a school building for Driver's Ed this summer.  Oh, have I mentioned lately how very interesting that experience was?  I didn't care for it at all and I was very glad to have the class over with. Thank the Lord I passed the class! :)

Here are some of our school days from the past...

First Day of School- September 2002

Andrew doing his art class... He was so cute back then, now he is turning into a handsome young man.  Time sure does fly by, doesn't it?

Old Salem, NC- May 1997

 Andrew practicing his reading with me right beside him...just in case he needed me, of course. :)

From left to right- Sarah-Anne, Me, Kaley, Annaliese, and Annagrace

 Little House on the Prairie Unit Study-The Square Dance/ End of the School Year Party.  Now, that was a fun unit study! :)

Those school days hold some very special memories in my heart.  Especially, all of the fun we had making crafts, making our school room look festive for the holidays and seasons, learning how to read, doing spelling lessons, reading with Andrew, singing multiplication songs, learning how to write in cursive, doing science experiments, and even though math isn't my favorite subject, I still enjoyed working on my math lessons on those wonderful spring days with the fresh air blowing in through the windows and doors of our old school room.  Thank you so much for being our teacher, Mom!  I love you and you have definitely been the best teacher that I could ask for.  You've graduated one student, and only have two more to go.  In four years, you'll be finished and I just wanted to thank you for all you've done through our school years and all that you've done to make this school year be a good one for both, Andrew and I.  I also want to thank you and Daddy for making such a great decision about homeschooling us all.  I wouldn't trade these years for anything and I've very thankful to have such amazing parents that care so much about our education.  I love you both! :)

So...

Hello 11th grade and goodbye summer!  It's been great and full of memories, but it's time to start a fresh and new season; another wonderful school year. 

Blessings,

Summer With A Purpose-Week Nine

I honestly can not believe that it's been nine weeks since the first week of Summer With A Purpose.  I'm sad to say, but this is my last week to participate.  School is starting tomorrow at our house, so my summer is ending quickly.  The mornings of sleeping late, reading a book for the afternoon, the new and exciting experiences, the trips to the pool, the chance to rest our minds and bodies; and the chance to enjoy life in slow motion is what summer is all about.  But now that summer is coming to an end, we all wish that it could last forever.  But the fun doesn’t have to end as soon as summer is over, does it?  I'm excited for the new season, a new school year, and cooler weather.  I'm sure that even though school is starting, we can find some ways to still have fun.  Although, it will have to come after a full day of schoolwork. :)

I'm so glad that Emily started the summer series.   It's been great and it has helped me get some productive things accomplished!  I didn't finish everything on my "goal list", but I did finish some things that needed to get done and that's always nice.  Thank you for hosting such a fun summer series Emily!  I had a blast doing it, even if I didn't get to participate every week.  :)

I hope you all have had a productive week!  I'm sorry I didn't post last week, but I was sick with a stomach bug for most of the week and I didn't really do much worth posting about.  :)

Here is what I spent my week doing...

1. I  was able to re-design my blog template and make a new banner.  What are your thoughts, ladies?  :)

2.  I also helped Sarah-Anne re-design her blog template as well.  You can read about our fun afternoon HERE.

3.  I helped mom with some last minute school planning,....

 ...typing out our new school schedules, cleaned out all of our school baskets,...

...and I also helped her find all of our new school books and put them in their new homes (our baskets and some bookshelves).  

4.  I also was able to do a little sewing project!  I had a lot of fun with this one, because I didn't really have a pattern to go by.  I took apart our old rice bag and made a new one from scratch.  I was so pleased with the finished product and I also really love the fabric.  

Have a wonderful week everyone! :)

A Sister In Christ,